Winning hearts and minds

Some people have inherent special qualities that enable them to master all situations. Such individuals can, when they come to a gathering, win the hearts and minds of people simply by making an appearance there. It is said of them: “They came, they saw, they conquered.”

This kind of ability to win love is not the monopoly of extraordinary people. Any ordinary person also can win the hearts and minds of people, provided he knows the law of nature and can avail of it by the power known as the power of spirituality.

According to the Creation Plan of God, all human beings have two different qualities: ego and conscience. The ego symbolises arrogance, and the conscience, modesty. For instance, there could be a difference of opinion between two individuals, A and B. A might enter into a heated exchange, refusing to give B due respect and honour. This kind of behaviour is bound to provoke B, who might try to teach A a lesson. A psychologist offers this analysis: “When one’s ego is touched, it turns into super ego and the result is breakdown.”

In this case A presented a challenge to B and B’s ego gained the upper hand due to arrogance. On the other hand, if, instead of getting provoked and acting out of ego, had B had opted for a compromise, or if A had restrained himself from provoking B in the first place, there would be no conflict.

In all likelihood, greater understanding would enable better relations between A and B; they would no longer be rivals bent on outdoing the other. There is scope for friendship now where earlier, there was only ill feeling. When one’s conscience is touched, it turns into super conscience and the result is complete surrender.

This formula is within our reach, and can be used quite successfully. However there are certain risks involved.

There is every possibility that in a sensitive situation where the ego is involved, the other person becomes even more arrogant. He will react more aggressively. He will be more dangerous than before. But that is only if you allow the ego to become your master. The ego is a bad master but a good servant. Fear of a situation arising in which one is completely directed by the ego is unfounded, because when the ego gains predominance it is because of ignorance of the power of nature, or more precisely, the power of spirituality. So all one needs to do is to try and be less ignorant; to learn how to think positive and keep one’s ego under control.

According to nature if you challenge someone’s ego, your success is doubtful but when you challenge someone’s conscience, then your success is guaranteed by nature.

People generally know the power of fighting but a wise man will tell you that the power of spirituality is greater than the power of either ego or conscience. At the time of a controversy, if you choose to fight, you will need arms but when you opt for the spiritual method, you don’t need any arms. The power of positive behaviour can triumph over the power of negativity, while the power of negativity cannot win anything -- it can only lead to destruction.

The choice is ours: To opt for positive, peaceful methods to create better understanding and oneness, thereby contributing to universal togetherness with compassion and surrender or to take a combative stand, giving the ego a free hand, causing unhappiness all around.


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Do Your Job as If Someone is Watching You....

Internal motivation comes from within, such as pride, a sense of achievement, responsibility and belief.

There was a young boy who used to come for regular practice but always played in the reserves and never made it to the soccer eleven. While he was practicing, his father used to sit at the far end, waiting for him.


The matches had started and for four days, he didn't show up for practice or the quarter or semifinals. All of a sudden he showed up for the finals, went to the coach and said, "Coach, you have always kept me in the reserves and never let me play in the finals. But today, please let me play." The coach said, "Son, I'm sorry, I can't let you.

There are better players than you and besides, it is the finals, the reputation of the school is at stake and I cannot take a chance." The boy pleaded, "Coach, I promise I will not let you down. I beg of you, please let me play." The coach had never seen the boy plead like this before. He said, "OK, son, go, play. But remember, I am going against my better judgment and the reputation of the school is at stake. Don't let me down."

The game started and the boy played like a house on fire. Every time he got the ball, he shot a goal. Needless to say, he was the best player and the star of the game. His team had a spectacular win.
When the game finished, the coach went up to him and said, "Son, how could I have been so wrong in my life. I have never seen you play like this before. What happened? How did you play so well?" The boy replied, "Coach, my father is watching me today." The coach turned around and looked at the place where the boy's father used to sit.

There was no one there. He said, "Son, your father used to sit there when you came for practice, but I don't see anyone there today." The boy replied, "Coach, there is something I never told you. My father was blind. Just four days ago, he died. Today is the first day he is watching me from above."


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Cow's Tale: She was Tied Up With an Imaginary Rope

A cowherd took his cows to the meadows every morning and brought them back to the cowshed at the end of the day. One evening, as he was tying the cows up for the night, the boy found that one of them was missing her rope.

He feared that she might run away, but it was too late to go and buy a new rope. The boy didn't know what to do, so he went to a wise man who lived nearby and sought his advice.

The wise man told the boy to pretend to tie the cow, and make sure that the cow saw him doing it. The boy did as the wise man had suggested. The next morning the boy discovered that the cow had remained still throughout the night.

He untied all the cows as usual, and they all went outside. He was about to go to the meadows when he noticed that the cow with the missing rope was still in the cowshed. She was standing on the same spot where she had been all night.

He tried to coax her to join the herd, but she wouldn't budge. The boy was perplexed. He went back to the wise man who said, "The cow still thinks she is tied up. Go back and pretend to untie her".



The boy did as he was told, and the cow happily left the cowshed. This is what the guru does with the ego of the disciple. The guru helps untie that which was never there.

Like the cow, due to our ignorance, we believe that we are bound by the ego when, in fact, we are completely free. We need to be convinced of this, however. The ego is an illusion with no existence of its own.

It appears to be real because it is animated by the atman. The ego itself can be compared to dead matter; for without the atman, it would have no life. Stop supporting the ego, and it will withdraw and disappear.

We ourselves lend the unreal ego its reality. Expose it for what it is, or rather, for what it isn't, and that will be the end of it. A dog wags its tail — the tail does not wag the dog. The same is true with the mind.

The mind, or the ego, should be nothing more than a useful tool; a sadhaka (spiri-tual seeker) shouldn't let herself be ruled by the whims and fancies of the mind. The ego consists of our thoughts and our mind.



Our thoughts are our own creation. We make them real by cooperating with them. If we withdraw our support, they will dissolve. We simply have to observe our thoughts.

A lion made of sandalwood is real to a child, but to a grown-up it's a piece of sandalwood. For the child, the wood is concealed, revealing only the lion. The grown-up may also enjoy the lion, but he knows it is not real.

For him, the wood is real, not the lion. In the same way, to a Self-realised soul, the entire universe is nothing but the essence, the "wood" that comprises everything, the Absolute Brahmn or Consciousness.

Excerpted from Amy Edelstein's interview with Amma for What is Enlightenment? magazine published by Andrew Cohen.

No-Expectations=Contentment=No-Expectations=Contentment

Every morning we wake up and open our front doors to pick up the newspaper and enjoy the fresh news with a nice cup of steaming tea/coffee. Well, that is usually the ritual in my house. Now we have been having this ritual for years and years and i am beginning to think it was passed down from our forefathers…:) When one fine sunday morning (when we await the paper the most..) It doesnt arrive! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh……all hell breaks loose. Tempers are lost, phone calls to the paper delivery company are made, moods go sour and finally the first few hours of the glorious sunday are lost. Why?? Cause the newspaper wasn’t delivered…NO No NO..Because the news paper wasn’t where we expected it to be..in our hands with our morning coffee. Now, why the paper wasn’t delivered is secondary, the fact that all that time and effort was unnecessarily lost for something as small as a newspaper is something to think about……

Now the above newspaper incident was just an example of our little, unknown expectations, which when tampered with can have adverse effects on our psyche. Everyday all of us have these little expectations which we don’t even think about, like the car will start in the morning when i turn on the ignition, the elevator at the mall will work, the grocery store will have eggs, etc….

Our Expectations can be of two kinds KNOWN and UNKNOWN.

Now unknown seems to be quite clear, but the known, now they are a totally different ball game all together. Lets say you were expecting a raise, you were expecting your daughter/son to get A’s, you expected the project you worked on would get you accolades, you expected sending a gift to someone would get you closer to them…etc.

Not getting what you Knowingly Expected gives rise to more intense reactions from your end. There could be anger, crying, stress, tension, anxiety. The worst part about known expectations is, the expecting per say can be even more stressing. At least in the unknown you were reacting after, but here your reactions are before and after.

Wow..ever wondered how expectations can engulf your life? Think about it now….

Not only do expectations have a life of their own..but they have an after life as well. Why oh why then do we have so many of them?

If you have noticed, there are people who are always smiling. In all the worst possible situations you might see someone always carrying a smile. Who are these people? Do they not have feelings?? How can they smile when something is so horribly wrong? I would like to think they are smiling at themselves rather than at the situation…That they have a certain acceptance of things in and around them that make them feel CONTENT.

Ask yourself if you’re truly content with yourself. Contentment leads to no-expectations. No expectations leads to a certain calm within our self. The fact that we expect not only leads to mental anguish but to physical pain as well. Stress and tension which in turn lead to blood pressure, heart ailments…the list of problems can be endless…but the solution is just one..

No-Expectations=Contentment=No-Expectations=Contentment

What is Contentment? Inner Tranquility. It is the freedom from anxiety, want or need. Contentment is the goal behind all goals because once achieved there is nothing to seek until it is lost.

When one can live in the moment with expectations in harmony with experiences one has achieved the greatest mental contentment possible.


The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to be able to lose all desire for things beyond your reach.

~ Lin Yu-t’ang

Are you stuck in the web of expectations or have you been able to come out of it and find contentment?


Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Great Expectations! ‘Blessed is the man who expects nothing, for he shall never be disappointed’

Great Expectations!

If there is one hurdle in the path of happiness and harmony, it is expectations. But, we are human, and expectation, second nature. The answer out of this conundrum lies in self-awareness. Every expectation arises from an unfulfilled inner need. If we are able to tap into that need, we would be able to understand the expectation. E.g. you may expect prompt action from others because it may make you feel that you matter, fulfilling your inner need for recognition.

If our reality was free of all expectations, it would simultaneously be free of disappointments and disillusionments. Frustration leads to anger, and anger finds vent in hot words and cold distances.

When we expect something from someone, we tend to objectify that person. Instead of being sensitive, we consider them as ‘want-satisfying commodities’. When we are in touch with our inner needs, our perception changes and our outlook is a kinder, more forgiving one. We are better able to appreciate the unfairness involved in burdening another with our lack.

Very often, what we cannot do ourselves, we expect others to do for us. The anger that is consequently expressed is, thus, directed at the person who has ‘failed’ us, and is directed towards self for feeling helpless and needy within.

The lessening of expectations indicates inner power that we have garnered. We can use ‘level of frustration’ as a valuable yardstick to measure our power against. When mind-body-spirit is in equilibrium, all are reflections of the Inner God.

Freeing another from our expectations is the single most merciful act that we can perform. It liberates another and empowers self. The reins of happiness are best held in our hands. In the hands of others they tend to either slacken or be held in a vice-like grip.
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Mantra Japa: On chanting the name of the Lord

“Mental purity will come through constant chanting of the divine name. This is the simplest way. You are trying to cross the ocean of transmigration, the cycle of birth and death. The mantra is the oar of the boat; it is the instrument you use to cross the samsara of your restless mind, with its unending thought waves. The mantra can also be compared to a ladder that you climb to reach the heights of God-realization.”

Question: “ long ago, a spiritual master would put a potential disciple through rigorous tests before giving him a mantra. You don’t do that. Why do you give us mantras without first testing our competency?”

“Simply because GOD loves you! How can a mother not want to help her children! However incompetent her children may be, a mother can only be compassionate towards them. Children, you are God's own, and God wants all children to reach the ultimate goal. This is why you are given a mantra which you choose yourself . You don’t need to analyse the reason; just make use of the mantra by constantly chanting it, and it will take you to the state of realisation.”

“Children, do not forget to always repeat your mantra. In the beginning japa should be done in a low voice. Later it can be done moving the lips slightly. Finally it should be done mentally. Thus japa should be practised constantly with each breath. Then japa will go on even if we don’t attend to it, even in sleep.”

“The period of sadhana is like climbing a high mountain. You need a lot of strength and energy. Mountain climbers use a rope to pull themselves up. For you, the only rope is japa. Therefore, children, try to repeat your mantra constantly. Once you reach the peak, you can relax and rest forever.”

“It is always advisable to obtain a mantra from a Self-realized master. Until then we may use one of the mantras of our beloved deity like Gayatri Mantra,‘Om Namah Shivaya’, ‘Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya’, ‘Om Namo Narayanaya’, ‘Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare’, ‘Hari Om’, ‘Om Parashaktyai Namaha’," Sat Nam Wahe Guru', ‘Om Shivashaktyaikya Rupinyai Namaha’ or even the names of Christ, Allah or Buddha.”

“Deciding to chant the mantra a certain number of times daily will help foster the japa habit. We should always keep a mala (rosary) with us for doing japa. A rosary can be made of 108, 54, 27, or 18 beads of rudraksha, tulasi, crystals, sandal, gems, etc., with one Guru (main) bead. We should resolve to chant a certain number of rosaries daily. Children, we should always chant the mantra in our minds while walking, travelling or working.”

Be Committed to Your Mantra

“When you start chanting a Mantra a seed of spirituality is sown within you. It transmits a part of GOD into your heart. But you have to nurture that seed by meditating, praying and chanting your mantra regularly, without fail. You have to be totally committed. The natural way to get yoghurt is by adding a spoonful of yoghurt to warm milk. Having added the culture, you let it stand for some time, and thus, all the milk is transformed into yoghurt. In the same way, Amma has transmitted part of Herself into you. Now you have to let the milk stand; you have to attain a state of inward stillness by constantly repeating your mantra and doing other spiritual practices. Your entire being will thus be transformed and you will then realise your divine nature.”

“First of all, all of us must have love and respect for our mantra, the mantra that was given to us by our master or which comes on its own. Always repeat the mantra that was given to you wherever you are, whatever work you are doing irrespective of time and place. Without talking unnecessarily, chant your mantra. Have love for your mantra. These mantras will help us to purify the mind and are vehicles to take us to the Supreme.”

“Children, don’t be disheartened if you don’t see results in spite of all your effort. Each chant of the mantra has an effect. You are just not aware of it. Even if you are not achieving one-pointed concentration, you will still benefit by meditating at a regular time. Through constant japa, the impurities in your mind will disappear, without you even being aware of it, and your concentration will increase during meditation.”

Write the Mantra Daily

“It is a good practice to write at least one page of mantra daily. Many people get better concentration by writing than by chanting. Try also to inculcate in children the habit of chanting and neatly writing the mantra. This will help to improve their handwriting, too. The book in which the mantra is written should not be thrown around; it should be carefully kept in our meditation or shrine room.”

Perform Mantra Japa with Alertness, never Mechanically

“Do japa with alertness, never mechanically. Each repetition should be like savouring a sweet. In the end, you will reach a state where even if you let go of the mantra, the mantra won’t let go of you.”

“The mantra should be chanted with great attention. Focus either on the sound of the mantra or on the meaning; or you can visualise each syllable of the mantra as you chant. You can also visualise the form of your beloved deity while chanting. Decide the total number of times you will chant the mantra each day. This will help you to do japa with determination. But do not chant heedlessly, just to reach a certain target number. The most important thing is that your mind is one-pointed. Using a mala will help you to count and also to maintain your concentration.”

The Power of Mantra Japa

“Both sitting 10 hours with eyes closed and chanting the divine names with concentration for one hour are equal.”

Question: “Is it beneficial if one chants mantras even without knowing the meaning?”

“If you chant your mantra without knowing its meaning, it has its own power. Even then, it is better if it is chanted with shraddha (loving faith) and love. Concentration also is necessary. A mantra will have a special power if it is received from a Satguru, rather than choosing it oneself. Once you get into a bus or train, it will take you to the destination even if you don’t know who the driver is or which company manufactured the bus or train or from where the spare parts are available. It will drop you at the nearest bus or railway station, and from there it will be only a short distance to your home. Similarly, a mantra will carry you to the threshold of God-realization. From there you can easily reach the ultimate goal.”

I CANT STOP CHANTING GAYTRI MANTRA SINCE LAST FEW MONTHS NOW I KNOW WHY ALL THE THINGS ARE CHANGING AROUND ME...
Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You

Food for creative thought

All of us at many points in our lives have experienced a beautiful Aha moment, when we felt very good within while doing something new or something that was innovative. We smile to ourselves, perhaps even congratulate ourselves when we experience that wow factor and we say: "Wow! I could do this... how awesome is that!” We become as happy as a child filled with joy at learning to walk for the first time or ride a bicycle for the first time ever.

The more interesting thing is that these acts might not always be big ones; they could be as simple as doing a presentation in a new way, solving a complicated problem with a simple idea, making a few changes in the way one’s home is organised, bringing home new flowerpots to make one’s living space feel special, or even making your own favourite songs list or planning ways to pleasantly surprise friends and relatives.

One of our innate urges is to be creative, and do new things to make changes and bring freshness into our lives. If we like this creative process so much, why are we not able to do it at all time? To understand this, let's see the process that is a source of these aha moments. Observing babies and little children, we can easily see that they are naturally curious and creative.

As we grow older, we find that every moment that we spend in our life, we are involved in a beautiful process, a process that continuously makes us creative. Sure, we do have our dull moments, even destructive moments, depending on the choices we make. It is a process that we can't seem to escape from or stop and it is responsible for everything surrounding our lives. That’s because it is part of our thought process that plays a major role in the way we live our lives.



Lovely Thoughts for Lovely People Just Like You